All My Heart Collection I: Alternatively We Come Together
by Mara93
Summary: This is a collection of short Arthur/Gwen stories in which they meet, come together, in alternative ways. They are modern and medieval. They are anywhere from a little over 100 words to around 1000. I'll be posting more of these categorized collections soon. Thanks!


**All My Heart Collection I: **_**Alternatively We Come Together**_

**Rating of all Ficlets in this collection:** T

**Author's Note:** This is a collection of drabbles (3 sentence and about 100 words or a little more stories} and ficlets (500 to about 1000+ word stories) written for various AG fic challenges, including the most recent one, AG Fic Battle 2.0, where I wrote 40 for the wonder Purple team I got to be part of. This is the first time I'm posting all these smaller stories. They are all Arthur/Gwen stories, a few time mostly about just one of the characters. This collection is about if they met in an alternative way. There are more collections that I'll be posting daily this week. Note too that I will be getting the next 'Chambers' fic up this week and will be working on 'Territories' in hopes of getting that up in a few weeks. Thanks for your patience. Hope you enjoy these.

_**First Meets & Moments of Social Fate**_

**Budget Vacations, Roman Gods and Xingtea**

**Written for:** ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0

**Prompt:** rubberglue- _Coke or pepsi?_

**Characters:** A/G, also Gwaine

**Rating: ** T

…

She's asked that inevitable question that just makes her shake her head. Why must she live in a world of caffeine/soda addicts? It's like everyone just assumes you drink one or the other.

_Coke or Pepsi?_

She rolls her eyes and answers smoothly, pushing back her stubborn dark curls of hair that are making the insufferable heat feel even worse that it really is.

Damn, where was that hair band?

She just spent five minutes emptying her purse, swearing it should be somewhere on the bottom and honestly it was nowhere to be found.

"Neither. Xingtea please. Green tea."

The man tending to bar, with luscious waves of hair, but the charm of a gigolo, smiles at her hugely as he gets one from the cooler. He slips _it_ underneath the can, whispering. "My number. Name's Gwaine. Call me Darling."

Maybe she should just dump the contents all over his head. Gwen smiles dryly, _gigolo bastard_, and moves away with her drink. She starts to open the can, but crap, it's one of those that's all puffed up on the top so the metal opener is practically sticking to it. "Air during packing." She looks back at the cabana, seeing how Mr. Gigolo is flirting with another. He won't be of any help.

Gwen tries to use her nail, breaking it in the process. "Ah-

She's cut off by a hand that grasps hers and a pair of blue eyes that are looking down at her breasts, before they scramble back to her face. Morgana's low cut top is making an impression.

"Let me help."

He takes the can from her, not with any force, but gentle expression.

She can't help but nod, issuing a word she doesn't usually use with a total stranger. Normally they're on the floor after being so bold. She's taken every defense class known to woman. "Okay."

He smiles at her softly and after a bit of pursing his lips, _such pouting lips_, gets it open. "Here."

"Thank you." She states, bringing the cold can to her dry lips with relief.

Luxurious vacation suite, for the up and coming, _right_. It has bugs everywhere, is filled with throngs of senior citizens, and instead of a beautiful ocean setting, has cabana gigolo boy for a view as soon as you escape your barely air conditioned hut.

And she means _hut_.

Might as well be living in medieval time. But that's what you get when you buy from _Cenred's Trips of a Lifetime_. A total rip-off. Oh Morgana was going to hear it from her when she got back home.

"I'm Arthur."

Worst vacation ever.

Albeit, _he_ isn't so bad. "Did you get ripped off by Charming Cenred too?"

He laughs at that, nodding. "Yeah, my my idiot friend Merlin was too stupid to realize it was a sham."

"Gwen." She offers her hand and he politely takes it.

After a quick warm moment, she fusses with her hair again. It's bothering her something fierce.

And there it is, in his hand, extended to her.

"Are you a Greek God?"

He laughs at that. "No. Just have a younger sister. Morgause. She's always jamming her extra hair bands into my pockets. Ones she's never used even, like this one."

Gwen nods and starts twisting her wild heavy curls into the band.

"Er…Gwen…you want to go on the cruise around the bay?"

"You mean the swamp?" She deadpans, sighing in relief as finally cool bareness touches her neck.

He laughs at that. "Yeah. That thing. What do you say?"

Well he saved her life.

_And…_

"Are you drinking green tea?"

He grins. "Better than coke or pepsi, don't you think?"

She lets him take her arm. Maybe a cruise around a swamp won't be so bad. With him. "Yes, tons."

And maybe a budget vacation will find its cauldron of golden rainbow.

_Its Camelot._

**TTT**

**Every**

**Written for:** ag_fics Fic Battle 1.0

**Prompt: **anonymous- _Broken glasses_

**Themes used:** exhibition, comics, anonymous

**Characters:** A/G

**RatingWarning:** T/Substance/Physical Abuse

…

Every night she cleans the mess. Broken glasses scatter over the floor and counters. If not careful enough, she carries the cuts with her to work the next day.

She's sure they're all staring like she's on exhibition. So she wishes to be anonymous. Something that's hard in a lively comic book shop, one in which her husband is famously known.

He's not a bad man. Has had setbacks, tragedies that everybody _thinks_ he's overcome. So he drinks. Breaks the glasses after giving her the colorful bruises.

…

She puts on a good front, but _every_ day as her boss, he notices the marks on her skin, the heavy sighs sometimes elicited from her lips. And so when she drops a new shipment, he bends to his knees, and gently grasps her hand, feeling how she pulls back instinctively, cruelly used to abuse.

Making Arthur whisper,

"Guinevere…

Let me _help_."

**TTT**

**Meet, Greet, JUMP**

**Written for:** ag_fics MC 4

**Prompt:** anonymous—'_Yeah. Coz jumping off the roof will have no consequences at all'_

**Themes used:** ninja, sin

**Characters:** A/G

**Rating:** T

…

Yeah. Coz jumping off the roof will have no consequences at all.

_A firm handshake upon a precarious rooftop._ "King Arthur of the British Isles."

"Hah, good one. Would be funny if we weren't about to DIE."

"I was being serious."

"Oh God. I'm going to die with a psychotic lunatic who thinks he's King of _something_ while being chased by equally lunatic ninjas."

"I _am_ King, but not important now."

"You THINK?"

"Don't let go of my hand. Get ready. -_1-_

"Shit!"

"Uh-huh, _2_."

"Holy holy crap!"

"You have a lovely mouth."

"While I'm using foul sinful language?"

"Actually, yes.

_3._

JUMP."

"AHHHH!"

"You never told me your name!"

"_GUIN-EEEE-VEEERE!"_

**TTT**

**Countdown to 2001 Space Odyssey**

**Written for: **ag_fics Fic Battle 1.0

**Prompt:** rubberglue- Arthur/Gwen, a bet, nakedness and a very confused Gwen

**Themes used:** record, astronaut

**Characters:** A/G and 'phone' Morgana

**Rating:** T (lightly smutty)

…

Oh God. It was the apocalypse. Armageddon. Mayan Prophecy.

_That music. _

Wasn't that from that movie Space 2000 or something like that? Wasn't it astronaut music? You know…duh _DUH DUH_. Pounding. In her ears. Her naked ears.

Her naked breast. Her naked as-

_WHOA._

_Naked?!_

Gwen forgot about the astronaut theme for a moment, forgot about the sun creeping through the curtains, forgot about the palm tree planters, the marble steps, the super size TV in the wall, and focused on her new doomsday.

She was naked. In bed. In what looked like a strange hotel room.

Albeit a very polished hotel room, but it was strange, because it was not familiar.

_Unfamiliar would qualify for strange._

But even stranger yet was she was with a perfectly unfamiliar stranger. In the big strange bed with golden sheets and silver spread.

_And that perfect stranger…_

She took a peek. Lifted at the blanket. Lifted just a little more.

_Just a little more._

_OH MY GOD HE IS LIKE A ROMAN ADONIS. THAT ASS IS JUST SO WELL SCULPTED. I COULD GATHER IT IN MY FINGERS AND-_

AH!

_Stop that! _

She slapped down the sheet, clapping her hand over her mouth before she could let out a scream like that of a silly crazy woman.

And then there it was again. That sound. Like the world was ending. Like 2000 and whatever that movie was, was on the brink.

_MAYAN DOOM. _

Or…

Wait…

_DUH DUH DUH DUH…_

It was changing to a deep voice.

_ELVIS?_

_OH. Oh. Oh. Oh. _

No not _that_ kind of OH.

Not _OH_, throngs of passion oh. NO, _OH_, I am in Vegas, oh!

She looked down at the dresser, fumbled for the phone, seeing a silver label on it, 'Cosmopolitan'.

She was in the Cosmopolitan hotel, a suite it seemed.

_No. That didn't make sense. _

Now think Gwen.

_THINK. _

_OH_ her head hurt!

Forget the Elvis 2001 century music in the background and think!

Okay.

She came to Vegas with her best friend Morgana. They were staying at the Luxor because they were dead poor. Yeah, that kind of poor. You know the kind that plays the nickel slots. That. You end up staying at the hotel that's _waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy_ over on the other end of the strip.

Morgana.

_Morgana. _

Call Morgana.

Gwen scrambled to find her clothes, losing her balance and landing splat on the floor, her naked ass up in the air.

AH!

She looked back desperately, but naked stranger was still lazily sleeping, just stirring a bit before pressing his hand into her side of the bed.

_The nerve of him. Well she should just-_

Oh, this was not her bed! He could put his hand wherever he wanted!

Not her bed. Not her hotel room. She couldn't afford the Cosmopolitan.

_Oh_, that bad headache just wouldn't go away. Wrapped up in the blankets, one hand pressed to her aching head, Gwen finally found it. Her phone was in her wet pocket.

Wait. Why? Her clothes.

_WET?_

Awful, it just got worse as she waited and waited for Morgana to answer.

Why must time take so long when you want it to be short? It never acted like this when it was break time at Avalon's Burgers!

_AH. _

Come on Morgana, pick up the phone! Roman Adonis might wake up.

"_Hello?"_

Finally!

"Morgana, I think I've been kidnapped by a very physically beautiful man, but he's horrible. I'm naked. He unrobed me. And he had his way with me last night and oh my God if he did—remember that self defense class I took? I'm getting out of here, but first I'm going to take my heels and whack him where it hurts so he can never do this again. It's not like it's my first time, or second or third-never mind. He's going to pay and wish he didn't have a ding dong. I'm going to dismem-

"_GWEN. Calm down."_ Morgana stated on the other end, before Gwen heard the unmistakable sound of hysterical laughter.

_Evil hysterical laughter._

"Stop that! Morgana this is not funny! He had his way with-

"_You weren't saying that when you were riding on top of me."_

"Of course I wasn't saying it then because-

_AAAAHHH!"_

Gwen dropped the phone. The _Adonis_ man was up, in all his naked glory, albeit his lower half covered by a sheet. Still, she could make out the bulge if she peered down low enough.

As she did, he started smirking. Gwen gathered the sheet around her and looked for it, for anything. Finally grasping a palm, tearing it from the tree in a planter, she held the branch up threateningly.

"Don't you get any closer! Oh. Don't you think you did enough? You-you-_God you're gorgeous_."

He laughed at that, standing up now too, keeping the sheet wrapped around his waist. "You're not bad yourself sweetheart."

_OH_. Gwen lifted the palm once more. "Okay, I will scratch you horribly if you try to touch me again."

Adonis man brought out his hand with appeasement. "Take it easy. Nothing happened."

She stared at him. He explained how she and her best friend Morgana again had met him and his mate Merlin downstairs the night/morning before. And a bet was made. Vegas was having a horrible summer heat-wave, temperatures reaching in the 100's. They had some frozen mixed drinks and then played in the pool and waterfalls.

The bet?

Who could ride on their guy's shoulders the longest in the pool. Yeah, silly bet, but they were all too drunk to really have any kind of sense. Morgana was quickly the loser because her guy had bony shoulders, Adonis man told Gwen delightfully. She was the lucky one and thus, she also got to spend a night in his suite at the Cosmopolitan while Morgana took Merlin back to her their little Luxor room.

"So we didn't-

Gwen gestured to the bed.

He smiled, shaking his head. "We didn't."

"But I'm naked and you're also naked."

He pointed to their clothes. "We were both soaked after getting drunk and everything. I shed everything off and you probably did too, but trust me honey, I'd remember being with you."

He tipped her chin meaningfully, whispering against her ear. "I'm Arthur."

"Gwen."

"You ID says Guinevere."

"Yeah, but no one calls me that."

"_I do."_

"Did you see me…naked?"

He shrugged. "Nothing big if I did. I could tell even with that blanket on you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

She blushed, turning away, but then his lips were on hers. Warm and salty from too many margaritas. She lazily dissolved into the kiss, feeling the top little exposed parts of their bodies press against each others. "Mmmm…"

And then it was playing again, making him laugh.

"Merlin booked us in the Elvis suite with the Space Odyssey theme. A total blunder, just like the whole suite thing was. Supposed to be separate, so that's why that bet last night was so delicious. Got to kick him out. Invite you instead."

She had no idea why. But her headache was starting to fade. And she was feeling quite satisfied right now. Something so right about Stranger Adonis. Arthur. "I'm glad."

He grinned, and kissed her again.

And in the meantime, Space Odyssey was their background theme.

What happened next you asked?

Oh my friends. Don't you know the golden rule?

_What happens in Vegas, lovelies…_

_STAYS in Vegas_

**TTT**

**Kiss The Dagger**

**Written for:** ag_fics MC 2

**Prompt:** anonymous- _Arthur hears of a fearless female warrior in a land far away and travels to meet her._

**Themes used:** mystery, tattered, fearless, virgin

**Characters:** A/G

**Rating:** T

…

He was laid upon the ground under the point of her blade.

_Probably wasn't the best of choices to make a surprise encounter._

"Who are you? The mysterious warrior woman asked, windings of dark hair and tattered clothing blowing in the dry winds of the untamed land.

"Prince Arthur." Usually fearless as her, the metal's pressure choked his words.

A distant thundering sound made her look up, announce, "Someone's followed you."

"Yes." She was definitely no virgin to fight. That blade was circulated perfectly at where the blood would flow most rapidly. "A mutual enemy."

Dark eyes found his sharply. "Too true Prince Arthur." A low grunt, she thrust the blade away, pulled up at his hand. "Are you as savory a fighter as it is rumored?"

"Better, Guinevere." He brazenly answered.

She smiled, slid opulent lips against his. "We'll just see, won't we? And it's _Queen_ Guinevere,

_Prince_ Arthur."

**TTT**

**But Dad, **_**I**_** want Her**

**Written for:** ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0

**Prompt: ** rainbow_connec- _Arthur thinks Uther's dating younger women when he brings home Gwen one day for dinner_

**Characters: ** A/G, also Uther

**Rating:** T

…

When his dad said he was bringing home a special lady for dinner, Arthur never thought of this.

Not to say that she wasn't special. Oh she definitely was a woman of class, good humor, beauty, and well…Heaven gave her some very nice physical assets.

_Nothing to complain about. _

But why date his dad?

In her early twenties, she was closer in age to him, than his dad who was nearing fifty. Put the age difference aside for a moment. It felt wrong to Arthur for his dad to be dating this young attractive woman, but he was reluctant to say anything.

His dad waited a long time after his mom's death to start dating again. And when he got back onto the bicycle it wasn't all that smooth sailing.

That is until he met another woman, an older woman, who Arthur liked very much, Elaine.

She was beautiful, intelligent, listened intently to his dad's bizarre jokes (Arthur _teased his dad regularly about them because they were pretty awful and often humorless_), and she didn't look anything like she could pass for his dad's daughter.

He couldn't say that to his dad though. He looked so happy now, sitting inside, smiling as he shared his time with…Gwen.

And well that's why Arthur was now standing out here on the deck to their large home. He needed an escape and here it was. Problem: Eventually he would have to back inside.

_*Merlin* _

Call Merlin. Arthur reached in his pocket for his phone, connecting to his best friend rapidly.

Merlin Emry's jesting voice stated: _"I thought you were having dinner with your dad and his new lady."_

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"_You're the one who called me."_ Merlin grumbled.

Arthur nodded. "Yeah, well, I have a problem."

"_What?"_

"She's my age Merlin. Your age. Our age. The woman my dad brought, she's both our ages!"

"_Is that an issue?"_

Arthur nearly jumped out of his skin. It wasn't Merlin who asked him the question. Instead it was the woman his dad brought over for dinner. The very young gorgeous one, wearing a lavender blouse and dark purple skirt, her hair up in back, exposing the most teasingly beautiful curls.

"Merlin, got to go."

He ignored his friend's angry rants and folded his phone down, stuffing it back in his pocket. "Didn't hear you."

She smiled peculiarly. "I can tell."

"I didn't mean to insult you. I'm sorry if-

She folded her hands in front of her body. "I'm just not the type you would prefer your father to be with."

"You're the type I'd prefer to be with."

It was blurted out of his mouth before he could restrain himself. Arthur's cheeks turned red as he shook his head profusely. "I didn't mean that. I was talking about something else. And um…"

Oh he couldn't talk like this. Not with her licking her top lip, _repeatedly_.

He stared.

And she laughed. Low. Throaty. Sexy.

_Crap, this was his dad's date! _

And with that thought, here he was, Uther Pendragon. Arthur looked up for a moment. Needless to say his father was still a very good looking man…uh to women anyway. He was handsome, okay, but still none of _this_ clicked for him. Especially when Gwen linked arms with Uther and whispered, "Your son and I were just getting further acquainted."

"Ah." Uther looked down at Gwen like she was the only thing in his world. Arthur had to fight to not slap his forehead. Just weeks ago, his dad was looking at Elaine this way.

_Actually that didn't feel as saccharine as this did. _

Arthur had no choice, but to follow them back inside. Then he had to painfully watch as they tangoed across the floor. She could tango too. Just like Elaine. _What_…was this some bizarre way of having Elaine still, but a younger version. It was like that frightening episode of the Twilight Zone he watched where there were only two kind of men, and two kind of women. Identical madness. His dad was trying to get the younger prototype!

Oh now he was bringing his hand up her leg. He was whispering in her ear. She was letting out that throaty laugh. And that was it. Arthur couldn't take it anymore.

He cleared his throat to get them to hear. "Um, I have something to do, somewhere to go, far from here. Far. So uh, it was nice meet-

Oh forget it! This is just too weird for me, okay?

Dad, she could be my sister, not that I want her to be my sister, not even close!"

Both of them started to laugh hysterically now, and a third person entered from one of the many back doors of their vast home.

"Elaine?"

"Oh Uther, don't you think you've tortured your poor son enough?"

Gwen smiled, linking hands with Elaine. "Arthur, your dad and I are not dating. He just wanted to play a trick on you. I'm really Guinevere Leodegrance. And this is my mother."

_Elaine_. Elaine was Gwen-Guinevere's mother, but then… "Dad?"

Uther was still laughing from it all, but then seeing his son's bewilderment, he locked an arm around his shoulder. "The other night you told Elaine that my jokes were corny and stale. So was this corny and stale, Son?"

Arthur shook his head. Unbelievable. This was all a joke. His dad, such a lame kidder. Okay, so maybe he got one over him this time!

"Hope you're not too mad Arthur. When your dad asked I couldn't resist. And I'm kind of glad I couldn't because you're very…" Gwen blushed some. "Anyway, I should probably go. I doubt you want to see me anymore."

Elaine and Uther exchanged curious looks. Uther told her, "See…tricking my son was worth it. Noticed from the first time we sat down, he's smitten with her. And a good one to be smitten with."

Elaine hit his chest to end his silliness, but then they moved in for a romantic kiss.

And Arthur grasped Gwen's hand, a chip off the old block, shaking his head charmingly. "Actually we were going to have dessert and uh…I'd _really _like you to stay."

She didn't move her hand away, her eyes shining with keen interest. "I'd _love_ to stay."

**TTT**

**All The Hallowed**

**Written for:** ag_fics MC 2

**Prompt:** anonymous_—'Halloween/All Hallows' Eve…'_

**Themes used:** fearless, mystery

**Characters: ** A/G

**Rating:** T

…

Halloween/All Hallows' Eve...

_Hallows Eve._

Bandits want his life, strike with a knife.

But then, a peculiar black-brown blended cat saves him. He notices her fearlessness has left her hurt. So Arthur, the knight, who rarely shows emotion, gently cradles her back to the castle.

That night, after fixing her wounds, he feels her presence on his bed. When she curls into the covers, resting her silky head upon his chest, he can't deny her.

Next day, _all the hallowed_, she's disappeared. Yet upon the balcony, he sees the most beautiful woman, wearing just his red tunic. Thanking him.

_Purring_ her name…

_Guinevere_

**TTT**

**Kismet**

**Written for:** ag_fics MC 5

**Prompt: **rainbow_connec "Look, I think you have the wrong number…"

**Themes used:** exhibition, cowboy, anonymous, comics, left

**Characters: ** A/G, Gwaine too

**Rating:** T

…

"Gonna ride my filly, yeah! Your cowboy's going to ride her…"

_What the f-_

"I'm _not_ your filly. You have the wrong number."

"Threesome?"

Before she can scream out expletives, an anonymous voice interjects.

"Gwaine! Again? Crap!"

_Anonymous _takes the phone, apologizing. "Sorry. He goes the pub and returns mindless."

_Anonymous_ sounds…handsome. "S'okay."

"Um, have to cut this short. On my way to Comic Zone to see if they have X-Files Issue 23: Mulder…_Uh and you're a stranger and don't care about y X-Files obsession_."

She cuts through excitedly. "Mulder takes a left turn to the Bermuda Triangle, have two copies!"

Okay_, is this Heaven?_ She collects X-Files and sounds cute to boot.

"I'd be willing to swap for issue thirteen." She offers charmingly.

Gets _even_ better. "Sure, over lunch?"

He's a stranger. Keep it safe. "Outside Exhibition Hall?"

"Perfect…uh…"

"Guinevere."

"Arthur."

_Like Medieval legend?_

Oh, it's _kismet_.

**TTT**

**Each of Worth**

**Written for: **ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0

**Prompt:** rainbow_connec—_my kingdom for a serving girl?_

**Characters:** A/G

**Rating:** T

…

There were taverns in Albion. And there were the seedy lowlife establishments. This was one of the latter.

Arthur Pendragon, king of Camelot, did not want to be seen in a place like this, and so he disguised himself in black tunic, black vest, and black hooded cape. He gambled with the other man, getting him quite drunk by buying him lots of mead. And then he took the winnings when it was time to go. The man was an unsavory type who had been stealing from the elderly. Arthur found it quite satisfying to take his money away so it could be returned to its proper owners in Camelot.

Although Arthur didn't consider himself a man of great softness, he would pretty much do anything for those from his kingdom, and he cared for the laws within said kingdom.

Outside however, especially in the lands where bandits were, there was plenty of unruliness.

His task done, Arthur departed the tavern quietly. When he was deeply within the wood, he commenced to remove his cloak. The coarse material was itching the top of his head, getting Arthur to grimace. His grimace turned to an ugly glare though as he witnessed something disturbing some precious feet away.

"Come and serve me wench."

He observed the shack of a house more closely, seeing a burly looking man and a small woman in rags. The bullish man pulled at her hair and so she moved away from him with a short cry of protest and then silence.

Taking out his sword, Arthur approached. He made his way over the brambles of grass without being noticed. When he entered the house, he moved fast, bringing the sword under the man's chin, pointing it at his jugular. "You shouldn't talk to a woman that way."

"And who are you to tell me that?" The man asked gruffly.

Arthur looked at the woman who kept turning away, and then at the man, lifting the cloak off his head. "The King of Camelot. As I said, your treatment of this woman is despicable. And I will not stand for it any longer."

"Then you can sit on it!" A man from behind told him snidely and before Arthur knew what was happening, he'd been knocked out.

…

"Stupid." Arthur came to, into darkness, hands tied behind his back, ankles tied together, and laying on his side. "So stupid to not realize there would be more."

"_Shhhh_…you couldn't have known." Soft, but worked hands touched his face and he looked up as she shined a torch near him.

Arthur stared. In the light he could see it now, just how pretty she was. And yet she lived here with these unsavory bandits? "Why are you here?"

She told him how the bandits had been involved with her brother. He owed them a debt and so with him being out of kingdom, they took her instead. Her king was one to not care. As long as kingdom prevailed, what did it matter if a serving woman was taken?

Arthur sat forward, feeling her hands at the ropes as she untied him. "Have they touched you?"

She shook her head, knowing what he meant, lewd kind of touching. "No. The first day one tried. I hit him on the head with a cast iron pot. He was nursing it all day. And though he wanted to blame me, hurt me, he didn't because I'm the only who knows how to nurse."

Arthur smiled with relief at that, touching her cheek. "Well you're getting out now. You and I together. I'll pay the debt for your brother."

She stared at him, surprised. "You really are the king of Camelot?"

"I am."

"Why would you want to help a simple woman like me then? My king would never do such."

He noticed as she spoke. They were escaping the tie at the middle of her hair, dark precious curls. "Because it's the right thing to do."

"Not to my king. He always states that when someone is taken or hurt, no matter. The kingdom is more important."

Arthur shook his head adamantly. "My kingdom for a serving woman any day. What is the worth of a kingdom if you don't care for the _individual_ people?"

What indeed? He meant the buildings, the structure, the order would never be as important as the human souls.

She helped him up to his feet as the three burly men slept. Arthur dug into his pockets, asking her the debt amount, and laid it down on the table, so she would never have to hear about it again. Then he searched, with her helping. "Need to find my sword. It was gifted to me from my father. It holds sentimental value." And more. It had been breathed on by a dragon.

Finally she found it for him, but a little too late. The men started to wake. Arthur waved the woman behind him, telling them, "You have your money. Now we're going to leave."

"What do you care about that one?" One of the men asked. "You have a kingdom. Don't need a wench, little mouthy one like that anyway. Give her back to us."

Over his dead body. They tried to fight him, but Arthur had been trained to kill since birth. With his sword back and the woman watching from behind, he was able to get the first two down. Then she smacked the third with a sack of seed.

Arthur threw the money onto their fallen bodies and lifted his hand. "Come on…um…"

"Gwen."

He nodded his head, extending his hand further. "Come on Gwen. Come with me to Camelot."

"Why?" She asked. After all Camelot was not her home. Now, home, thanks to her brother's gambling, was a crumbled one.

"Because…" He stroked back some of her curls, and grasping her waist, causing her to gasp with surprise, and pleasure, he kissed her lips.

"Because you can find honest work there, because you will be welcomed, because you won't have to worry about unsavory types like these and because…

"Yes…" She asked, fingering her bottom lip, still feeling the warm essence of his mouth there.

"And because I would covet you over kingdom any day."

And with that his head came down.

Hers lifted.

So many kings of so many lands held their gold in esteem, their edifices, and the kingdom not because of its castle workers, or farmers, but because of the layout of the land, the riches it all held.

And yet this man…

This king…

It wasn't those…that mattered to him. It was the flesh, the hearts of people.

"How could I ever say no to you with words like that?"

They left the unsavory dwelling and found where he had his horse in the wood. Then she held tight to his armored waist as they galloped away.

To Camelot.

To a new beginning…

With a man who valued citizen/being…

Over kingdom.

**TTT**

**Duty of a Friend**

**Written for: **ag_fics MC 5

**Prompt:** anonymous—_'Everyone, at some point in ther lives, wakes up in the middle of the night with the feeling that they are all alone in the world, and that nobody loves them now and that nobody will ever love them, and that they will never have a decent night's sleep again and will spend their lives wandering blearily around a loveless landscape, hoping desperately that their circumstances will improve, but suspecting, in their heart of hearts, that they will remain unloved forever….The best thing to do in these circumstances is to wake somebody else up, so that they can feel this way, too.'_—**Lemony Snicket**

**Themes used: ** anonymous, left, exhibition, cowboy, comics

**Characters:** A/G

**Rating:** T

…

He'd been having a dream of an anonymous V.S. model naughtily exhibiting Medieval lingerie when she bounced upon his bed, nearly cutting off his windpipe, complaining that as her friend it was his _duty_ to wake up. Especially with Morgs {AKA Morgana} away. So now, eyes squinting so heavily he resembled a tobacco chewing cowboy, Arthur grunted at his third flatmate. Merlin: second; Morgana: fourth.

"I'm afraid I'll never find him."

"Guin," he moaned, grasping her waist to push her up against his black T-shirted chest. "Don't let Lance-a-Lurch take your esteem. He collected 1960's comics. Enough said."

"He was rich. Got ten grand for one." She played with his left ear, making him tickle her stomach. She babbled more at that. Thus he fingered her in tighter and locked lips spontaneously.

"Arthur?"

His smile held wonder. So did hers as her kissed the top of her nose and whispered cockily,

"_Found him."_

**TTT**

**The Magic Flute**

**Written for:** ag_fics Fic Battle 2.0

**Prompt:** railise-the magic flute

**Characters:** A/G, Merlin, Uther

**Rating:** T

…

Gather around children and I shall tell you the story of a magic flute. Magic you ask? Why yes, magic. You see there was a time many years ago when magic was more commonplace and changing the worlds of so many. Take the selfish prince who truly had a good heart, but had been raised with every comfort a creature could endeavor for.

In a time of knights and their ladies, shining steeds, and soaring dragons, he was boastful of his prowess and not noticing enough of the _lesser_ around him.

That included the lovely, and very hard working servant girl of the castle the prince lived in. Every day, her shiny dark curls wrapped into a scarf she tied to the back of her head, she labored and toiled. Any time she noticed the prince she attempted to smile, but he of course was just too lofty in his ways to notice.

Most people like today, then, loved music. It made them dance around, laugh, and smile. There was no exception for the prince and servant girl. But a bit of special magic…well it could enhance the effect. And so a very wise and crafty wizard, who knew their fates had to be bound together for a time of prosperity to reign once the current king was passed on, arranged for one of them to find it.

_***The magic flute.***_

She lifted it up into her hands after locating it near the training grounds. And then she commenced to play it. With it so magically endowed, she had no difficulty at all even though she had never studied music. Her hypnotic playing flew to the ears of the prince. He had to find out where the music was coming from and so he searched hard. And found the very simple looking servant girl, who looked so much more than simple as she played that magical music piece.

"Hello there."

The playing stopped immediately as she pressed her hand against her heart. "Oh Sire, I did not see you there."

"Continue playing."

She nodded her head vigorously, taught to be heeding around nobility. "Yes Sire, of course."

He put up his hand and she slowly lowered the colorful flute.

"Sire?"

"Where did you learn to play from? Such magnificent sounds coming from the flute, I think you should be one of the entertainers tonight for my father's birthday."

Well of course she did not know where she learned from and so she told the prince this who told her that was nonsense. She frightened at that, wondering if he thought her fibbing. For such offense she could be placed in the stocks or dungeons. But then he laughed and told her she could keep her secret. And after that he requested the most curious thing.

"Will you remove that scarf?"

"Sire?"

"Please."

She had never heard a prince, especially this one, make such a polite request. So she did as he asked, bringing down her scarf from her head, allowing her multitude of dark curls to go free.

The prince marveled at them, and her, remarking, "Why you're lovely!"

How did he not see that before, he wondered. She blushed, but when he asked that she not wear her hair in the scarf that evening, she agreed she would not, and that tonight at the banquet, she'd play for his father.

…

The banquet that night was joyful and festive. The prince had many admirers around that his father was pleased to see. Lovely ladies of the court all wanting his favor. And yet the prince could not wait until the moment the girl would come out to play her colorful flute.

When she did, it was as if everyone fell into a mood of enchantment. And the prince marveled at how in a lavender flowing dress, with long pointed sleeves, she was even more beautiful than in her servant clothes earlier this day. He did not know that she had borrowed it from one of the kind ladies she tended to.

As the evening continued on, the king, so enamored by the music, called out. "You will dance with my son now!"

And so she did. And so they circled around each other in true medieval magical fashion.

But then something horrific happened. She could spot it through the stained glass windows. There was a fire flaming outside in the village area of the kingdom. She rushed away from the proceedings, ignoring the king's rants. And when she did, the prince too ignored his father's yells.

The prince, always so enamored by beauty, and never one to get dirty, worked with the village people to keep the fire from spreading to more than one house. He rolled up his sleeves and did not notice when the soot stained his face. He reached in to save little children. And he provided all who needed it with water from the wells.

The king, his festivities still going on for the nobles that did not see any reason to tend to a fire that only threatened the poorer people, stepped out from the banquet hall, and watched his son curiously, as he finished aiding the village people, protecting the rest of the homes.

A grave problem made itself known.

The servant girl told the prince, "While dealing with the first house, I dropped the flute into the fire. It is nothing but ashes now."

The prince looked to her, all her stains, just like his at the moment. They both were dirty and yet beautiful for they both had aided.

Was that not what kingdom was about?

"Humility…" The king whispered with a smile, watching his sometimes arrogant son reach out to the lovely lady.

"I should have called you sire." The servant girl stated.

And the prince shook his head, touching at her curls, bringing them back from her cheek tenderly. "No. I am Arthur. And you never told me your name."

"I am Guinevere."

"Well then Guinevere. You have taught me much in a day and night. And do not worry about the flute. As magical as it was, you are even more-so."

And with that they kissed.

And with that the king smiled, looking up to the skies. "They will love like we did Ygraine. I can feel it."

…

And that is the story of the magic flute. Oh you say I end it too soon. Well then let me tell you in a few sentences the rest. The king was not so happy when he found out the lovely lady was actually a servant, but the prince never gave in. And for that the king was proud and accepted the servant girl into the royal court. And a year later they were married, when the king sadly breathed his last.

Many years later, the new king and queen were the rulers of golden ages. The ones who every kingdom looked to with awe.

And how do I know this? You ask dear children. Well I will tell you.

You see I am Emrys, the magical sorcerer who created the magical flute.

So that one day I could share with you this story.

So that one day you would know all you needed to about your very magical great

_Great_

Grandparents.


End file.
